The Ripple Effect-The Change Agent-Issue 33

The following information is used for educational purposes only.


The Ripple Effect
Abigail Ellman
Effects on me
Sad
Scared
Shock
Confused because I didn’t understand what was
happening
Disbelief
Panic
Worried about my family and friends who worked
near the towers
I lost my job
I had to apply for food stamps
Effects on my friends, family, neighbors,
and community
Afraid
Suspicious
Nervous about flying
Empty restaurants, closed stores
Less travel and tourism
The workers who helped clean up are now sick
My family in my country was worried about me
The president stopped helping immigrants; immigration
reform was not possible
Many people can’t stop remembering that day
people died
1. Think about the “ripple effect” of consequences of September 11, 2001. How did that day affect you,
your family, friends, neighbors, community, and the world.
2. Write your ideas in the “ripples.” See the next page, which can be used as a handout or as a model for
use on newsprint.
3. Share with a partner or a small group. Do you have any ideas in common? Are we still experiencing
effects? If so, how?
4. How did this exercise make you feel? Are you interested in taking action around any of the negative
consequences of September 11?
Look at some of the other articles in Issue #33 for ideas. See p. 54, “Resources
for Action and Reflection.”
When students in ESOL classes at Make the Road New York in Queens reflected on the ripple effects of
September 11, 2001, this is what people said:
Effects on the world
More security everywhere (public places, work,
the border)
More police, more control
More discrimination and racism, hate crimes
More fear of Islam and immigrants
Racial profiling
Changes in immigration laws, more checks on immigrants,
more checking papers
More difficult to get visas
More raids
Creation of the Department of Homeland Security
Higher prices (metrocards, gas, food)
Less work, no jobs
Economy was bad
more wars: Iraq, Afghanistan. people die every
day
Lose a lot of money in the war
Broken relationships with other countries because
of the war
lies of the US goverment
Companies laid off people
Budget cuts to schools and community programs
marches for peace, protests

Abigail Ellman teaches at We Make the Road New York.